Mrs. Ramsey's Stockings A knitter's homage to Virginia Woolf's To the Ligbtbouse Mary Kaiser "But it may be fine-I expect it will be fine,”'said Mrs. Ramsay, making some little twist of the reddish brown sotcking she was kniting, impatiently. If she finished it tonight, ifthey did go to the Lighthouse after ll, it was to be given to th Lighthouse keeper for his little boy.." Virginia Woolf, To thbe Ligbthouse
Finished Measurements
10" from cuff to heel (cuff turnover measures 1.5"), 9.5" from heel to toe
Materials
Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock, Chocolate Cherry, 1 skein (430 yards) Size 2 (2.75mm), set of five double-pointed needles
Gauge
7 stitches/inch in stockinette
Special Stitches
Rigbt Mini-cable Skip next stitch on left-hand needle; working in front of skipped stitch, knit next stitch; knit skipped stitch; slide both stitches to right-hand needle.
Left Mini-cable
Skip next stitch on left-hand needle; working bebind skipped stitch, knit next stitch; knit skipped stitch; slide both stitches to right-hand needle.
Knitting Instructions
Using the long-tail method, cast on 64 stitches. Distribute the stitches on the needles with 16 stitches on each needle. Place a marker at the join. The marker will signal the center back of the sock. Knit in K2, P2 ribbing for 3.5 inches (9cm). On the final row, increase 1 stitch after the last stitch (center back). 65 total stitcbes. Leg Knit foundation round: k2, p2, k2, p2, k4, p2, k2, p2, k4 p1, k13, p1, k4, p2, k2,p2, k4,p2, k2, p2, k4, p2. Redis tribute the stitches on three needles so that the anchor motif stitches are on needle 2: Needle 1: 24 stitches Needles 2: 15 stitches Needles 3: 26 stitches Begin following the leg chart on page \*\*. After knitting all the rows on the chart, distribute stitches for the heel and instep: on the next round, knit 15 stitches from Needle 1. With waste yarn, thread the next 9 stitches and the stitches from needles two and the first 9 stitches of Needle 3.35 stitches on Needle 3.Set these aside for the instep. Place the remaining 33 stitches on Needle 1. Heel On Needle 1, knitting back and forth, follow this sequence 15 times for a total of 30 rows: Knitting back and forth, follow this sequence 15 times for a total of 30 rows: (Slip 1, knit 1, slip 1 as if to purl) across, knit 1. Slip 1, purl across. Next row, turn the heel as follows: 1. Knit 19, ssk, k1, turn. Purl 7, p2tog, p1, turn. 2. Knit to 1 stitch before the gap, ssk, k1, turn purl to 1 stithce before the gap, p2tog, p1, turn. Repeat step 2 until all the stitches have been knitted. 18 stitches. Knit the next row.
Gussets
With a new needle, pick up 18 stitches along the side of the heel fap. Place the instep stitches on another needle and knit across the instep stitches following Row 3 of the instep chart. With a third needle, pick up 18 stitches along the other side of the heel fap. Distributing the stitches so that all instep stitches are on Neede 2, the remaining stitches are split equally between Needles 3 and 1. You may need to use longer double-pointed needles for this stage. Begin shaping the gusset by knitting along Needle 1 to the last 4 stitches, k2tog, k1, then purl the last stitch on Needle 1 together with the first stitch on Needle 2, purling the last stitch on Needle 2 together with the first stitch on Needle 4. Knit the next stitch on Needle 3, then ssk and complete the round. On the next round, knit as established with no decreases. On the third round, knit the stitches on Needle 1 to the last 3 stitches, then k2tog. Knit across the instep stitches in pattern. On Needle 3, knit 1, ssk, knit to end. Continue in this fashion, decreasin 2 stitches on every other round, until the total number of stitches on the needles retunrs to the original 65.
Foot
Continue with the instep chart, completing the chart twice. There will be a total of four anchors at the end of the final chart row. Toe Sbaping (see chart below) Following the toe chart for the instep stitches, on Needle 1, knit to the last 3 stitches, ssk, knit 1. Needle 2: Knit 1, ssk, follow chart decreasing 1 stitch as indicated on the chart, follow chart to last 3 stitches, ssk, knit 1. Needle 3: Knit 1, k2tog, knit to end. Next round, follow the instep chart, but no decreases. Continue in this fashion, alternating the decrease rounds, until 16 stitches remain. Place 8 stitches on each of 2 needles and use Kitchener stitch to graft.
Toe Chart "You wont finish that stocking tonight," he said ..."No,”"she said, fHattening the stocking out upon her knee,“I shan't finish it."Virginiah Woolf, To the Ligbthouse
